Bath duo tipped for England leadership

Bath pair Mike Tindall and Steve Borthwick were tonight backed as "the obvious choices" for leadership roles when England face Canada at Twickenham next month.

England coach Andy Robinson looks certain to be without recently-appointed captain Jonny Wilkinson for the Canada game and subsequent November appointments with South Africa and Australia.

Newcastle fly-half Wilkinson could face six weeks out while he recovers from a haematoma in his right bicep.

And Robinson has been urged to study the options at his former club when, as appears inevitable, he must weigh up captaincy alternatives.

"Tindall is the most experienced back, while Borthwick is going to call the lineouts and run the forwards," said Bath coach John Connolly. "They are the two obvious choices.

"I think one will be captain and the other will be vice-captain. But as for which one does which role, that's up to Andy Robinson."

Centre Tindall, capped 38 times and a member of England's victorious World Cup final team, had already been earmarked for vice-captain responsibilities before Wilkinson's latest injury was fully assessed.

Lock Borthwick, at 25, a year younger than Tindall, has played in 13 Tests for England and was a key influence behind Bath's march to the Zurich Premiership final last season.

Gloucester prop Phil Vickery, meanwhile, offers more experience in a leadership role, having previously captained his country, notably to an outstanding victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires two years ago.

Vickery starts his first game of the season tomorrow when Gloucester face Heineken Cup opponents Stade Francais in Paris, having been sidelined for six months while he recovered from back surgery.

Robinson will be keen to get him involved again with England as soon as possible, although the November games might prove too early on the comeback trail.

But at least Vickery is playing again, together with Leicester flanker Lewis Moody, who features for the Tigers against Calvisano tomorrow, and Wasps' World Cup wing Josh Lewsey.

Moody has fully recovered from the serious foot injury that kept him out of the game for 10 months, and Wasps star Lewsey has faced a frustrating lay-off due to a broken hand.

"I am really eager to get back to playing rugby - my broken hand has healed well," said Lewsey, who will line up for the reigning European champions against Biarritz on Sunday.

"The beginning of the week was frustrating, as I had some tightness in my hamstring that prevented me from getting a run-out against Oxford University, but all seems well after today's session."

Wasps centre Fraser Waters meanwhile, who gained England recognition on this year's summer tour to New Zealand and Australia, is among the replacements.

"Fraser's rehabilitation from an ankle operation has taken a little longer than originally anticipated, but he is now ready to resume duty," said Wasps rugby director Warren Gatland.

Wasps scrum-half Matt Dawson is also back after recovering from a hamstring strain, but despite captaining England on several occasions, he won't feature during the autumn Tests.

Dawson was omitted from the elite player group by Robinson last month after a clash of commitments between television work and national squad training.